Results 4,261-4,280 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Committee on Budgetary Oversight: Pre-Budget Engagement (Resumed): Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I ask the Minister to indicate the extent to which he continues to observe the activities of our competitors in the marketplace, both in the international markets generally and in Europe. Some indications appear to have arisen that our corporation tax profits might become an issue again, notwithstanding the fact that this has been dispatched.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 103. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide an update on the status of an application for carer's allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41678/23]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 104. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to explain the reason that a person (details supplied) has had their jobseeker's allowance reduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41679/23]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 105. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress to date in respect of an appeal for carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41683/23]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: 109. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if all information requested was received on time in the case of a person (details supplied) in respect of their pending application for residency status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41699/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome our guests and thank them for their information. Is it anticipated that house prices will remain high or ascending for the foreseeable future? The history of the financial crash tells us that when that happens, disaster also happens. I would like an answer to that before moving on. Who would like to deal with that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: The demand was there all the time before and during the financial crash. Demand was never in question. This worries me. During that period, I put down parliamentary questions to ascertain the extent to which the economy was on a safe footing, etc. The responses I got, with the exception of one question, was, yes, of course it is. The responses were absolutely resolute. There was only...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: We will discuss that in a second. I am not so sure that it was not possible to predict, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, what the outcome was going to be. That point must be made. I agree with my colleague in relation to faulty blockwork and concrete, etc. I cannot understand why lending agencies did not take account of the fact that there were certain professional guarantees...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: It is not that simple. I built my house during that period. The various procedures were adhered to and there was insurance cover during and after construction and in relation to the payment of the various stages, etc. There had to be strict compliance and a sign-off by the engineer in charge of the site. It was very strict and you did not get the cheque unless that happened. A lot of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Would it be fair to say that in some cases the customer who was originally the holder of the mortgage has been disadvantaged in the sense that their loan has been sold on and it has been administered in some way, shape or form that they do not know about? They only know that the mortgage has gone from them and the property is gone in many cases as well. The property is already repossessed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I do not buy that one.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I respect Mr. Hayes’s views, but I have to say that I do not buy that one and I will tell him why. They voluntarily surrendered. Why was that the case? It was because they were hustled. They were hustled day and night and were told about their obligations. They were told that what would happen eventually would be that the house would be repossessed. I have an example from only...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: That is correct in the sense that it is more beneficial to the lending institutions to resolve it than it is to the person who expects to get compassion or understanding as to how they might resolve the problem from their point of view. Incidentally, I want to acknowledge that, following the crash, some banks were helpful and compassionate. Some banks engaged with the customers. Some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: General Banking Issues: Discussion (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: There are other questions that follow on from that but I will visit them again.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome the witnesses. We all raise discretionary medical cards at these meetings from time to time. There has been some progress, albeit after a long haul. From the initial response, it appears the issues are being dealt with sympathetically but it has taken a hell of a long time. I do not know how many of the various patients in respect of whom I have made representatives have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Absolutely, and eyes are rolling to heaven as well. The point is we cannot run a show like that. If we attempt to run it that way-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: It is not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: Wait a second, I have not finished yet. It is demand driven but it is possible to anticipate the demand to a large extent, with the exclusion of pandemics and so on. We understand that but we do not understand what happens year after year and why it should not be possible to put into the projections that, subject to X, Y and Z, this is what it is, so that instead of falling short of budget...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Update on Sláintecare Reforms (27 Sep 2023)

Bernard Durkan: I ask that the experts making these predictions at the beginning of the year be in a position to identify the possibility of something arising and specifying exactly what it is likely to cost in the event that it happens. If it does not happen, so much the better. Why can they not project more accurately in a simple way so that at the end of the year they are on budget and had anticipated...